Want to Attract New Players? Teach Them,

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

We saw Halo 4’s mechanics where they wanted to try to bring in new people by changing things because they believed it was too hard, or people didn’t understand it. Either way, it was represented with a spartan on a wheelchair. That didn’t work, mainly because it was probably the worst way that anyone can ever do to get someone to play a game by flat out changing the way the game works.

I propose a better method: An actual tutorial level. From TF2, Hawken, Counter-Strike: G.O., lots of fighting games, to this forum’s unpopular fish, they all had some sort of training mode that will teach the player what to do and WHY they should do that. Then they usually throw in some sort of obstacle course or plop you in a battle royal against a bunch of dumb AI to see if you were not some dumb robot just passing through(like those weird random passcodes you deal with when you can’t remember your password). Suddenly, achievements are rewarded when you are done.

IMO, this is something that should be done for Halo moreso than just flat out moving the things around to please a certain crowd, or to get players who don’t understand the game understand the game because the gameplay was dumbed down to their level. Campaign, while it CAN be a tutorial, does not teach the player enough of multiplayer combat. Yes, we’re super soldiers. But it costs $60(or whatever the equivilant is for your local currency) to get a virtual suit of Mjolnir armor and fight it out over the internet. On top of that, if we are to assume they do not frequent the website, we should probably assume that this same group of players probably search up cats on Youtube moreso than Halo “How-To-Not-Be-Bad” video guides.

An obstacle course can teach the player what they should be focusing on in a general setting of Slayer: Power Weapon/Up Spawning mechanics, what each thing does, how they should use it, why moving in a certain way is preferred instead of running, etc.

While we’re at it, an obstacle course appropriate for each weapon or so, can be thrown in. Make a time attack thing for some competitive folk to go nuts over and see who can do it the fastest and most efficient. Slap achievements in, and you’ll at least get everyone to possibly do this once.

A training level that goes over how the game plays and works is worth the effort than trying to change the game around to cater to them. Combined with a good matchmaking system, players can come in with more knowledge than “Press RT to shoot. Use Left Stick to Move.” and can at least get them to understand why they get their butt kicked and learn from the experience better.

Can’t wait for cembr! :slight_smile:

2

Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.

3

> Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.

They can also do those little tips that Halo 2, 3 and Reach had while we wait for players to get a lobby going in MM as well. They can also get them to go to the website more often.

4

Yeah, I made a thread about that 7 months ago explaining what the real problem was.

5

I think there is nothing wrong with a tutorial as long as it is designed interesting and without open loop and it is separate.

I don’t like the kind of tutorials like in Crysis 2 where the game stops, stuff gets explained and you just sit there and listen or read until the explanation is done and finally you can try it out.
What makes it even worse is when it happens right within the Campaign (like it is the case in Crysis 2).

Rather give the player short and quick commands while “running and gunning” through a (entertaining) tutorial parkour.

> An obstacle course can teach the player what they should be focusing on in a general setting of Slayer: Power Weapon/Up Spawning mechanics, what each thing does, how they should use it, why moving in a certain way is preferred instead of running, etc.
>
> While we’re at it, an obstacle course appropriate for each weapon or so, can be thrown in. Make a time attack thing for some competitive folk to go nuts over and see who can do it the fastest and most efficient. Slap achievements in, and you’ll at least get everyone to possibly do this once.

Personally, I would really just focus on the basics within a tutorial.
Like teaching you how you perform the new Spartan Abilities for example and what their purpose is.

When you go too much into depth then you remove a part of the progress the player would naturally make by him/herself when playing the actual MP later.
For example when you would teach people all the creative ways you can use a thruster or when using it isn’t effective or advisable then what is there left to figure out or think out by yourself?

Plus throwing too much info at someone won’t make your game more accessible, rather the contrary, since before I attend to the more complex things I need a proper understanding of the basics, what requires time.

To explain what each weapon does is for example completely unnecessary when it is designed ergonomically, in the sense of I either directly recognize its purpose and mechanic by its aesthetics or the first time I use it.

The “time attack thing” you suggested would be neat, but I would design it more like a “final exam” where you have to transfer the things you learnt to “pass”.

In addition, what I’ve always liked about Halo is that it actually was never really in the need of some form of tutorial. You picked the game up and you naturally figured out how it generally plays quite quickly.
Everything in regards to depth developed with time.
I think more accessible can a game not be.

6

> Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.

You know what’s funny about this

Skip to 3:19

7

I definitely think a tutorial should be added as a first level. Crysis 3 has a great tutorial where the suit voice woman tells you that this is the Nanosuit training module etc, then runs you through three categories (movement, shooting, and another one) which you can go back to at a later date. It’s in the lore and even more suiting to Halo as the Wargames (if they are still going with that) must require a professional introduction, not some half hearted hints added to you as you progress through the first level, you could add reminders for when the player enters a vehicle etc but no full guide. I believe this should be mandatory as soon as you load the game up, it would remove all the problems.

8

Halo is not rocket science, so why can’t new players learn by just picking up the campaign like so many of us did… This time around, it should be easier with MCC.

The first thing I ever learned from playing Halo was in the very beginning of CE campaign. My first xbox game, and it prompted us on how to move, look etc…

Everything should take off from there. The core is rather basic and simple to understand . After you get the core mechanics down, then all these other features can be focused on.

9

> Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.

This. Simply knowing a location or weapon spawn spot is not a skill, it’s just information.

10

> Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.

And have a voice-over from Roland describing the game mode while it loads in a tron-like version of the map.

11

> I definitely think a tutorial should be added as a first level. Crysis 3 has a great tutorial where the suit voice woman tells you that this is the Nanosuit training module etc, then runs you through three categories (movement, shooting, and another one) which you can go back to at a later date. It’s in the lore and even more suiting to Halo as the Wargames (if they are still going with that) must require a professional introduction, not some half hearted hints added to you as you progress through the first level, you could add reminders for when the player enters a vehicle etc but no full guide. I believe this should be mandatory as soon as you load the game up, it would remove all the problems.

That would be nice.

12

> Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.

Thats actually pretty decent idea. I’ve never had anything against the UNSC loading screen since it was nothing more than a loading screen to me.

13

> > Instead of showing players a useless UNSC logo while the game loads, show them an overhead view of the map that points out the spawn location, and respawn time, of power weapons.
>
> Thats actually pretty decent idea. I’ve never had anything against the UNSC loading screen since it was nothing more than a loading screen to me.

I agree. I made a post about this like a year ago. And for the OP, I agree. Some kind of training module is a good idea.

14

They could make a tutorial level seperate to campaign. In ‘Star Wars Battlefront II’ there was a whole level designed to be a tutorial. You would spawn in a safe zone, get your bearings, then be told to go to a certain location, all the while text is appearing on screen telling the player how to move, fire, etc. There’s a tutorial level in ‘Titanfall’ as well, where the player would be walked through the basics.

Perhaps the tutorial level could be a ‘simulation’, similar to how ‘Halo: Spartan Assault’ did it. The player could go through the basics, then advance onto the technical stuff, like strafing (have AI bots shoot at the player) and the like. Perhaps even (and this is where it’s what I personally would like to see) they could have parts in the tutorial where it would have you practise with ceratin weapons. For example, I am a pretty terrible sniper in Halo, so perhaps in the tutorial level they would have a part where you could practise shooting at moving targets (ever play ‘Duck Hunt’ in Halo custom games? Something like that!). Maybe have it keep score to show if your improving or not.

That’s something I’d like to see anyway. As for the loading screen? I agree with what the other’s are saying. Having stuff like tips and tricks appear would be pretty cool, and helpful at the same time! :smiley:

Edit: To allow people to practise what they want whenever, maybe they choose what to do after completing tthe tutorial once, or maybe straight away? I don’t know. :slight_smile:

15

There’s no need for any of that stuff to be in actual matchmaking. Titanfall has a short tutorial against bots and that is good enough, I think. Halo 4 already has some “tutorial voiceovers” that are implemented into the gametype itself and are completely unnecessary for someone who’s familiar with the rules (for example, “Bravo almost fortified! Defend at all costs!”). Any type of tutorial should be separate from the main game and not boring.

16

> There’s no need for any of that stuff to be in actual matchmaking. Titanfall has a short tutorial against bots and that is good enough, I think. Halo 4 already has some “tutorial voiceovers” that are implemented into the gametype itself and are completely unnecessary for someone who’s familiar with the rules (for example, “Bravo almost fortified! Defend at all costs!”). Any type of tutorial should be separate from the main game and not boring.

Sorry, but were you talking to me or someone else? If me, then I guess you’re right. I just wish there was a better way for me to practice. I mean, I can’t try to practice sniping in matchmaking. I’d just be wasting ammo, while someone else could make good use of it. I do agree that the tutorial should be separate from matchmaking though…

17

> Sorry, but were you talking to me or someone else? If me, then I guess you’re right. I just wish there was a better way for me to practice. I mean, I can’t try to practice sniping in matchmaking. I’d just be wasting ammo, while someone else could make good use of it. I do agree that the tutorial should be separate from matchmaking though…

I was speaking generally, not to anyone specific.

There’s a dedicated Team Snipers you can play in to practice though. There also ought to be unranked playlists in which you can practice too, but unfortunately, Halo 4 doesn’t have this.

18

CE did it right. The very first time you load up the campaign it teaches you all the basic controls. Then you learn to strafe by fighting against elites. H5G’s campaign should share these traits with CE’s. For higher difficulties the enemies could use more advanced strafing and combat techniques that the player could mimic in multiplayer.

For multiplater, players should have to complete basic training before being thrown into the fire. H3 did a great job of this. Halo 3 also had social matchmaking.

19

> CE did it right. The very first time you load up the campaign it teaches you all the basic controls. Then you learn to strafe by fighting against elites. H5G’s campaign should share these traits with CE’s. For higher difficulties the enemies could use more advanced strafing and combat techniques that the player could mimic in multiplayer.
>
> For multiplater, players should have to complete basic training before being thrown into the fire. H3 did a great job of this. Halo 3 also had social matchmaking.

I’m sure that all Halo games teach the player in Campaign somewhat. Online is less forgiving. The best experience is learning on your own.

20

> I’m sure that all Halo games teach the player in Campaign somewhat. Online is less forgiving. The best experience is learning on your own.

All the campaigns did this to an extent yes, but CE stands out to me. The very first time you load up the Pillar of Autumn the game walks you through all of the controls and slowly ramps up the difficulty while you get used to them. CE’s elites also mimic some of the combat players will encounter in multiplayer.

I suggest this model is the one 343 should use for the campaign, but they should take it one step further. On higher difficulties the AI should use some more advanced combat techniques (improved strafe, bait and switch, vertical strafe, better awareness and LoS usage etc.).